Thrissur, 14 Feb (H.S.):

Former Minister and CPI leader V.S. Sunil Kumar has rejected the Crime Branch inquiry report on the alleged disruption of Thrissur Pooram 2024 and demanded a comprehensive probe into the role of the then district collector, V.S. Krishna Theja IAS, intensifying the political controversy surrounding the festival.

Addressing the media on Saturday, Sunil Kumar said the case cannot be concluded solely on the basis of the Crime Branch findings and insisted that the proposed three-tier inquiry must be completed. “We cannot conclude the case based solely on the Crime Branch report. No one has seen the report yet. I have repeatedly demanded a probe into the role of the district collector in the disruption. I strongly suspect his involvement from the beginning,” he said.

The Crime Branch on Friday submitted its inquiry report, reportedly dismissing allegations of a conspiracy by government officials behind the disruption and holding the Thiruvambady Devaswom responsible. However, the findings have not been made public.

Sunil Kumar said he did not believe the Thiruvambady Devaswom would attempt to sabotage the Pooram and alleged that a political conspiracy was at play. He claimed that the then collector was aware of plans to interrupt festival rituals and had instructed that ministers and MLAs should not visit the venue. The former minister demanded that the probe team name Krishna Theja as the first accused in the case.

He further alleged that certain individuals within the Devaswom and the police were involved in the disruption and claimed that members of the RSS and the BJP were part of the conspiracy. “Everyone knows who benefited from it,” he remarked, while adding that he was not interested in creating a fresh controversy with only two months left for the next Pooram.

Meanwhile, Thrissur District Congress Committee (DCC) president Joseph Tajet also criticised the Crime Branch findings. He alleged that the disruption was jointly carried out by the police and the district administration, and accused the CPM of maintaining ties with the BJP.

With political tempers rising again, the government’s decision on the proposed three-tier inquiry into the Thrissur Pooram 2024 disruption is now keenly awaited.

---------------

Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman